Roasted cabbage with a sumac and za'atar spiced lemon and tahini saucy dressing
I’ve never met a roasted vegetable steak I didn’t love.
Lately, I’ve been playing around with cabbage and I think it may just be my favorite.
Roasted on its own, with just a bit of avocado oil and salt, it’s delicious. Perfectly brown and crispy on the outer edges and buttery soft, melt-n-your-mouth delicious on the inside.
But sometimes I like to jazz things up and create more of dish, you know?
Made with a tahini and meyer lemon saucy dressing, spiced with za’atar and sumac, and some sprinkled parsley and walnuts on top, this roasted cabbage is warm, utterly delicious, and perfect if you’re looking to make something easy and different this fall.
Keep scrolling for everything I love about it and all you need to know before you set out to make it…
Health Perks
Designed for easy digestion. When roasted, cruciferous vegetables like cabbage transform not just in flavor but in digestibility. Raw cabbage contains indigestible carbohydrates, and for some (me!) can cause intense bloating, discomfort, all of it. Roasting the cabbage is a game changer. It greatly reduces the indigestible carbohydrates and makes for a much more comfortable situation.
Tahini is loaded with health benefits. It’s a great source of healthy fats and omega 3, which will help lower cholesterol and reduce inflammation. It also contains a fair amount of protein, B vitamins and iron.
Walnuts are a nutritional powerhouse. To say walnuts are nutritious is a bit of an understatement. A great source of healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and more. They’ll benefit your skin, hair, and nails, improve gut health and brain function, help reduce risk of inflammation and chronic disease, satiate your appetite and support weight loss and management.
Made from plant-based whole foods. So you know it’s good for you. It’s high in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants - all of which generally promote good health.
It’s simple. Dishes with fewer ingredients, especially those made from plants, are often easier to digest and leave you feeling good after you eat them.
Contains zero aggravating ingredients. This dish is as gentle as it gets. It’s dairy and grain-free, made with very minimal oil, low in sugar (just a tbsp of maple) and cooked thoughtful manner that hopefully won’t irritate your stomach.
Other Thoughts, Tips and Suggestions
Use a high temperature for roasting. I recommend 400 or 425 degrees. This will give you perfectly crisp outer edges, but keep the inner layers buttery soft.
To minimize the amount of oil you need, brush or rub your cabbage. I don’t love excessively oily dishes (in case you’re new around here). So rather than pouring a 1/4 cup over the steaks, use a brush or your hands to evenly coat a thin layer of oil over the cabbage instead. You can also use a spray oil, such as this one from Chosen Foods.
Oil-free option available. If you want to go entirely oil-free for this dish, you can try marinating the cabbage using vegetable broth, cooking as directed, then to create that crispy outer layer, broil the cabbage for 5 minutes before removing it from the oven.
Sugar-free option available. While this contains just a minimal amount of unrefined sugar (maple), you can leave it out for an entirely sugar-free version. There will still be plenty of flavor.
Nut-free option. Simply leave out the walnuts. If you want some added crunch, try sunflower seeds!
Managing sodium. Salt is essential for flavoring vegetables, especially a cruciferous vegetable like cabbage which can be bitter tasting. If possible, don’t skip the salt. If trying to reduce your sodium intake, consider using minimal salt before roasting, then adding additional salt to taste after roasting. Salting a little bit at each stage not only can help manage your sodium intake but may even lead to more control over overall flavor!
Use whatever herbs you like. I used parsley, but different herbs come with different flavors and benefits. If you have a particular flavor you enjoy or health concern or objective, feel free to switch things up.
Enjoy as a main or side dish. As is, you may find it light and more side-dish like. To make as a main dish, I recommend enjoying more than one serving or bulking it up with more nuts (or hemp seeds) for added healthy fats and protein.
Check out the full recipe below. Hope you love it as much as I do!
Roasted Cabbage With Spiced Lemon and Tahini Dressing
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes | Cook Time: 20-25 minutes | Yields: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
(For the cabbage)
1 small head green cabbage, cut into small wedges
2 tbsp avocado oil
1/4 teaspoon mineral salt
1/3 cup raw walnuts, chopped
1 small handful of fresh parsley, stems removed and chopped
(For the dressing)
1/4 cup raw tahini
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp za’atar
1/2 tsp sumac
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/8 tsp mineral salt
Water, as needed, to thin out
Directions
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Prep and cook your cabbage. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay cabbage down. If you have more steaks than you can fit onto one baking sheet without touching, use two baking sheets. Brush or rub the steaks with avocado oil, then sprinkle with mineral salt. Roast the cabbage in the oven for 20-30 minutes. After 20 minutes, continue to check on the cabbage. Remove only once the outer edges are brown and crispy and the center is tender.
Prep your saucy dressing. Add tahini, a bit of water to thin out, lemon juice, spices, maple syrup or honey, and salt to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. You want the dressing thin, so add splashes of water to thin out as needed. Set aside once combined.
Dress your wedges and enjoy. Remove roasted cabbage and let cool for a few minutes. Pour dressing over steaks, top with chopped walnuts and parsley, and enjoy!
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